Glycolysis

Main idea: glycolysis converts one six-carbon molecule of glucose into two three-carbon
molecules of pyruvate.
1. Glycolysis happens in the cytoplasm of cell
2. Actually glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that involve 10 enzymatic reactions but we
will simplified the steps down into the main idea.

3. Instead, here is the simplified one.

Glycolysis is divided into energy
investment stage and energy harvesting stage

Energy Investment Phase: Invest means to put

into
(Two ATP are used to rearrange 6-carbon glucose into an
unstable sugar with two phosphate groups, which then
splits to form two three-carbon compounds).

Steps:
In this phase, 2 ATP is used as activation energy to
rearrange glucose, a 6-carbon compound into a
different 6-carbon compound by attaching 2
phosphate from it, one from each ATP.
The 6-carbon compound splits into two 3-
carbon compounds, each with a phosphate still
attached.

Energy Harvesting Phase: Harvest means

to collect
(In the second half of glycolysis, the three-carbon
sugars formed in the first half of the process go
through a series of additional transformations,
ultimately turning into pyruvate. In the process, four
ATP molecules are produced, along with two
molecules of NADH).

Steps:
 The two-three carbon compound is oxidized (loses
electrons) and rearranges into another three-carbon
compounds. 2 NAD+ becomes reduced (gain electrons)
to NADH (one for each of the three-carbon compound)
After 2 NADH is produced in glycolysis, both of them
will be sent to the mitochondria to be used in the
electron transport chain (last cycle of cellular
respiration)

When the NAD+ came in to carry the electrons, they

also bring the phosphate with them to attach to each of
the 3-carbon compound. Each NAD+ got one phosphate
so total two NAD+ got two phosphate, one for each of
the 3-carbon compounds.

Now theres two Phosphate attached to the one of the 3-

carbon compound and two more phosphate attached to
another 3-carbon compound.

Next, 4 ATP will produced by donating each of the 4

phosphate to 4 ADP.

The two 3-carbon compounds is then changed into a

different two 3-carbon molecules called pyruvates.

As a result, 2 pyruvate, each with 3 carbon is produced from glycolysis.

*Note: Remember that adding or removing something to a molecule

changes/rearranges them into a different molecule.

*Note: Glycolysis is only breaking down glucose, a 6-carbon molecule into two 3-carbon
molecules. The number of carbon of the molecule didnt change. The compound is just
in the process of breaking down.

Net ATP Gain: Use 2 ATP in the energy investment phase, produce 4 ATP in the energy
harvesting phase. So 4-2 = 2 ATP net gain in glycolysis. After the ATP is produced, it is
ready to be used by the cell for any cell processes.

Net NADH gain: 2 NADH gained in glycolysis and both will go to the electron transport
chain to help make more ATP there.